Gripper means

In a bottle handling apparatus, a bottle gripper comprising:

• a generally elongate, vertically disposed hollow support means;
• first and second gripping members, each having first and second ends, each of said gripping members being rotationally coupled to said support means on first and second substantially parallel, horizontally disposed spaced apart first axes, adjacent said first ends thereof, said gripping members being means for engaging and encouraging said bottle necks into axial alignment with said support means when said second ends are encouraged into close disposition;
• a coil spring coupled between said first and second gripping members so as to encourage said members into closer proximity;
• an actuator member slidable between lower first and higher second actuator positions within said support means and between said first and second gripping members so as to be engagable with the top of a bottle and said first actuator position is vertically below said second actuator position, said actuator member being generally disposed within said support means and between said first and second gripping members and extending upward through said support means to be engagable from above for encouragement from said second position toward said first position;
• first and second coupling members, said first and second coupling members being rotationally coupled adjacent the ends thereof, on second axes substantially parallel to said first axes;
• to said actuator member and said first and second gripping members respectively, said coupling members being substantially horizontal when said actuator member is adjacent said first actuator position;
• said gripper further comprising coil springs, retaining means, a transport means and a mounting means, said transport means being a means for supporting and moving said mounting means along a predetermined path, said mounting means having a hole therethrough for each of said grippers a predetermined amount larger than the cross-section of said support means, said support means of each said gripper extending upward through one of said holes, said retaining means being a means for slideably retaining said support means with respect to said mounting means to prevent said support means from being encouraged downward out of said holes, each of said coil springs being disposed in compression over one of said support means between said mounting means and the lower portion of said support means to yieldably encourage each of said grippers in a downward direction.

In a bottle handling apparatus, a bottle gripper comprising:

• a support means for coupling of said bottle gripper to said bottle handling apparatus;
• a pair of gripping members having a generally split cylindrical shape, said pair defining a first axial cavity within said split cylindrical shape, for accommodating a bottle neck, said gripping members being rotationally coupled to said support means at one end of said gripping members;
• a spring coupled between said pair of gripping members so as to encourage said members into closer proximity;
• an on-center actuator member, axially disposed within said first cavity and a second cavity centrally defined within said support means, said actuator member being a single rigid rod slideable within said first and second cavity and extending within said first cavity to be engageable with the top of a bottle accommodated therein;
• and
• a pair of over-center toggle members rotationally coupled to said gripping members and said actuator member,
• whereby movement of said actuator member to a first position rotates said toggle members to third position locking and spreading said gripping members into an open position against the tension of said spring, and whereby movement of said actuator member to a second position rotates said toggle members to a fourth position allowing said spring to close said gripping members;
• wherein said support means comprises a base member coupled to said gripping members and retaining said actuator member within said second cavity;
• a mounting member coupled to said base member, said mounting member defining an opening therein, said base member loosely and slideably disposed and retained in said opening;
• a coil spring disposed about said base member and compressible between said base and mounting members;
• and
• a transport means for translating said mounting member and gripper along a predetermined path,
• whereby said grippers are resiliently and slideably coupled to said mounting member and are translated in a controlled manner by said transport means.

In a bottle handling apparatus, a bottle gripper comprising:

• a support means having a generally elongate, vertically disposed support member having a longitudinal opening therein;
• first and second gripping members disposed in a generally vertical disposition and are pivotally supported adjacent the upper end thereof by said support means, said gripping members being rotatable between a first position whereby the lower ends of said gripping members are encouraged into closer proximity to be closeable around the neck of a bottle neck and a second position not engaging a bottle neck, said gripping members having first and second ends, each of said gripping members being rotationally coupled to said support means on first and second substantially parallel, horizontally disposed spaced apart first axes, adjacent said first ends thereof, said gripping members being means for engaging and encouraging said bottle neck into axial alignment with said support means when said second ends are encouraged into close disposition;
• spring means for encouraging said gripping members to said first position;
• an elongate, generally vertically disposed actuator member extending downward between said first and second gripping members, said actuator member being moveable in a vertical direction between an upper said third position and a lower said fourth position, said actuator member being a means for contacting the top of a bottle to cause said first and second gripping members to close around said bottle, said actuator member being generally disposed within said longitudinal opening and extending above said support means so as to be forceable into said fourth position by engagement from above with a depression means;
• and
• over-center toggle means, said toggle means being coupled between said first and second gripping member and said actuator member, said toggle means being a means for allowing said first and second gripping members to be moved by said spring means toward said first position as said actuator member moves toward said third position, and for locking said actuator member at said fourth position and said first and second gripping members at said second position by the over-center action of said toggle means, whereby said first and second gripping members will snap to said first position and said actuator member to said third position as said actuator is encouraged to move from said fourth position.